A Time And A Place To Die
by urameshiiii
Summary: This is it. This is what it all came down to. Months of ruthless training, the torture, the blood shed, the endless mental turmoil. It was all in preparation for this moment. Right here. In this stadium. In this crumbling ring. One man, one boy. Staring possible death in the face. - Set during Yusuke and Toguro's battle in the Dark Tournament.
1. A Time and a Place to Die - Prologue

**A TIME AND A PLACE TO DIE **

_**Feels like I'm waking from the dead**_

_**And everyone's been waitin' on me**_

_**'Least now I'll never have to wonder**_

_**What it's like to sleep a year away**_

_**But were we indestructible**_

_**I thought that we could brave it all **_

_**I never thought that what would take me out**_

_**Was hiding down below**_

_**Lost the battle, win the war**_

_**Bringing my sinking ship back to the shore**_

_**We're starting over, or head back in**_

_**There's a time and a place to die but this ain't it**_

* * *

This is it. This is what it all came down to. Months of ruthless training, the torture, the blood shed, the endless mental turmoil. It was all in preparation for this moment. Right here. In this stadium. In this crumbling ring. One man, one boy. Staring possible death in the face. Except he wasn't a boy anymore and the other was certainly far from a man. Though when it all came down to it, none of that really mattered. What mattered was how it all would end. Was everything they'd both been through going to be enough? Suffice to say there could be only one winner. A winner, yes, I suppose you could call it that. However, when you're fighting for your life it's hard to remember that this was all supposed to be a competition. "May the best team win" kind of competition. But then again, both teams and both men entered the tournament knowing full well that it held a different meaning. To them, it was a death match. A "last man standing" kind of death match. You see, both teams fought valiantly. Courage, skill, tact and finesse, all rolled into one as each match went out with a bang, so to speak. But there's one thing I forgot to mention. That boy? The one who is standing in front of that man, wondering for his life? He's fighting a match that all those fighters should have fought. That boy, no, boy would not do him justice. For today he has grown into a young man. A man who now carries the weight of not only his friends lives on his shoulders but also the determination of those who could not live to tell of it. This young man is fighting for the freedom of those who were ruled by this demon in front of him, ruled by their fear of him, by their constant struggle to defeat his hold over them. That's right, demon. Of the ruthless and treacherous kind. The kind that one would not like to mess with. Someone had to. And that someone was Yusuke Urameshi. Just a teenage delinquent, risen from the dead, graced by a second chance at life. A second chance to do right by those he cared for and serve justice where it was needed. This was one of those times. Justice was to be served, not only for those this demon had killed or those he ruled, but for an old lady who granted the man a broken 50 year old story. A broken but somehow beautiful 50 year old story. One this demon didn't deserve to even grace his long life. The in depth details to it are hardly relevant. Apart from one, something that this young man had learned from the wise old hag,

"There's a time and a place for me to die, Toguro. And this ain't gonna be it."

To those he was fighting, witnessing his display of cocky power, they probably believed it. However, Yusuke hardly believed himself as his fear began to creep in. And the demon before him? Well, let's just say he was about revel in making Yusuke eat his words.


	2. Raise You Like A Phoenix

**Raise You Like A Phoenix**

_**Hey, young blood**_

_**Doesn't it feel**_

_**Llike our time is running out?**_

_**I'm gonna change you like a remix**_

_**Then I'll raise you,**_

_**Like a Phoenix.**_

* * *

Was it supposed to feel this good? Having your ass handed to you? Yusuke, aside from becoming majorly pissed off at just how good Toguro actually was, was reveling in the pain being dealt from each blow. It was something he had needed. His chance to feel alive. To be captivated in the intensity of a fight that he truly didn't know the outcome from. This was a chance to live, breath the fire of the moment and take his life in his own hands. Everything was down to him.

A swift duck followed with a mean upper cut to Toguro's jaw, Yusuke finally managed regain his place in the fight. Even with the spirit cuffs now off, things were slowly going down hill. A war waging in his mind, that the clarity of just out classed he was, was finally settling in. However, for some reason, he chose to keep fighting. If he gave up now, everything he went through, would be for nothing. All those people he was fighting for would be left here, subjected to the hands of this monster. It was physically sickening, needless to say Yusuke's face, portrayed nothing more than just that disdain.

Then there it was, out of nowhere, a flurry of bone crunching blows and an excruciating punch to the stomach, sending the Spirit Detective flying in to the concrete of the stadium. And there he sat, a bloodied mess, bruised and battered to a defeated state. For all it was worth, he had tried, like REALLY tried, but clearly this was one fight he just wasn't able to win. It had come time for him to let down all those he loved and cared about. Nothing was left in him, all his energy was shot and his whole body was on the verge of a bone shattering finish.

Defeat and regret was all that laced the lining of his chestnut eyes. Regretting the fact that he didn't pay more attention during the old hags training, regret at getting himself involved with such a monster in the first place. Mostly just regret for the future, for he knew he would come to regret not being strong enough. As he would have to watch from above as every one else was about follow in the suffering, taken down by the monster, joining him in spirit world. He will forever hate himself for that, though, there was just nothing he could do now. Yusuke couldn't even muster up enough energy to answer Toguro's questions, let alone stand up.

_What was that? Grandma?_ He asked himself. Was he dead already? He was sure he had just heard Genkai's voice, somewhere, close but distant. Desperately he wanted to get up and look around to see, but he knew he must have been imagining it. It was only a wish that he could hear his masters encouraging words right now. A wish that was about to be granted, however, not in the way he would have hoped. Out of nowhere, that damn blue ass Spirit animal Puu was there before him, except, it wasn't Puu… Well it was definitely Puu but somehow the old hag had taken his body hostage. "Gen-Genkai?" Was all Yusuke could manage in his current state, his eyes finally followed the possessed spirit beast.

"Toguro? You want to see Yusuke's real power come to the surface? I'll tell you how. He's very predictable. The only thing you have to do, is kill one of his friends. And make sure he's watching."

Something snapped. The words that she was uttering. Surely this wasn't really Genkai? Yusuke was sure that Genkai wouldn't be so cruel, would she?

"Genkai! What the hell's the matter with you?"

What she had said had suddenly sparked something in him, he was awake and alert. For he was forced with overwhelming fear. Her words had sparked inside of him a fear that would be the end of him, if it were to unveil.

"Yusuke has a six foot wall of crap between him and his actual emotions. And that's where his power resides. To break through that wall you have to do something drastic. Like killing someone he really cares for."

"Dying must have ruined your heart, Genkai.", and somewhere deep inside, he truly meant that. To suggest that Toguro kill someone he truly cared about was bad enough. But to put it out there so bluntly and cruel? As though Toguro hadn't already done that? That was too much. Was Genkai really that blind as to see he'd lost too much during this tournament already? Had she really become so cold at heart from dying like she did? Couldn't she understand he was only human? That if she allowed Toguro to take one more person from him, that it probably wouldn't awake any of these damn powers he was supposedly hiding. It would just break him, break him in ways he couldn't even imagine or comprehned. A break he would probably never come back from.

"Open your childish eyes, dimwit! If you don't stop Toguro, everyone in this stadium dies. And, damn it, if the life of one friend is what it takes for you to save the rest of them, then that sacrifice is worth it."

He just couldn't see it. I mean, sure, she probably had a point but when faced with something as great a loss as that. Yusuke just couldn't look past how much of a toll the sacrifice would take, and look at what the bigger picture should be. Everything was all too much. Why was he the one to have to bare all these burdens? Why the hell did it have to be him to save everyone's asses? Damn it, why does it all have to be so complicated.

"No!" was all that bellowed from his fiery lungs, this was one thing Yusuke was not going to tolerate, especially after everything the stupid hag had taught him and put him through. She was going against all of it. It was as though everything he had done and been through with her, everything he had learnt, was a lie. Just a ploy,

"You're nothing but a stupid little hypocrite! You told me to commit to something all the way, and I chose my friends. Now you're saying killing one as motivation is okay!?"

One big ass, blue eared right hook to the face was all he was graced with. Searing with anger, he was just about to go on the biggest rampage of his life until he was faced with that look he'd seen only a few times. A sincere yet apologetic look. One that Yusuke knew all too well. This was truly the only option Genkai had and maybe, just maybe.. really was the only thing left for all of them,

"I'm sorry, Yusuke. But this is the world you stuck yourself into and it's not pretty. When you're not strong enough to lead, you lose the privelege of getting what you want."

So this was really it? This was what he was destined to suffer through because he wasn't strong enough to find himself on his own. Somehow it didn't make sense to him. Everything he had ever done was for the good of everyone else, the whole damn world, and this is all he got in return? It hardly seemed fair. Though there really wasn't anytime to think or dwell on it. Toguro had already picked his target..

"How about you, Kuwabara?"

_Kuwabara.. KUWABARA_! Never in his life had Yusuke ever begged for anything, he'd always taken what he got and gave what he could. Never begging or pining off others. This time was different. Not only was his best friends life on the line, his last peace of sanity, was hanging by a string. And Toguro was about to rip all of that away from him. Yusuke couldn't control himself, throwing himself into the midst of Toguro's aura, attacking as the demon walked audaciously towards his victim. He threw flurries of punches, kicks, pleading at the top of his lungs for it all to stop. Though it was a useless feat. He was dismissed by just a mere flick of a wrist immediately finding his head now grasped in a impenetrable stronghold, unable to move. Before he knew it he was slammed face first, full force into the ground and the last thing that echoed in his mind, before passing out was,

"Relax, Yusuke. I'll free you up."

_Stupid, stupid, stupid. Don't you even think abou- Don't do it!_ He could hear Kuwabara, as he struggled to come to, picking himself up from eating the dirt. A useless feat to say the least, it took all the strength he had left in him, to just sit up. Yusuke's eyes were weary, as Kuwabara babbled on boldly about how he's a tree and that if he does his duty he wont have any damn regrets! _Well, hell! Isn't that nice? Gee thanks, Kuwabara. Don't forget about me over here, man. You're gonna freaking ruin me if you do this. Look, just stop okay, we can find another wa_— That was the last thing Yusuke was able to fool himself into thinking before warning his friend,

"KUWABARA, NOOO"

Why was he even trying? Yusuke knew that when Kuwabara went full steam ahead into a futile situation, there was no stopping the guy. It's where his honor code got in the way. He was such a stubborn oaf, that not even Yusuke could reason with him when he had his mind and heart set on something. Unfortunately, this was the one thing Kuwabara knew he wouldn't come back from. He was selflessly sacrificing himself for Yusuke. And what for? _It's all so freaking stupid!_ What was the point? None of them really knew if Yusuke had anything left in him, if there was power untapped, hell, he even doubted there was. So why? Why did they all have so much faith in him? So much faith that they would die for him?

There was no more time for questions as everything became veiled with red. The hand embedded within Kuwabara's chest. The blood seeping from the wound. Toguro removing his hand viciously allowing the the blood free reign to pour from his best friend in floods. It was all over. His life was just mere seconds from reaching it's pinnacle and yet the stupid ass found the strength to speak,

"Okay, Urameshi. It's all you. I did what I could. Now beat him, for all of us. Make my death count okay."

Everything just came crashing down. That six foot wall of crap suddenly ceased to exist. A whirlpool of emotions beginning swirl relentlessly within him, grasping and reaching at his depths, pulling at something from the pits of his existence. Something that had yet to be unleashed, something that was only to be used the day he would be ruthlessly torn apart. There Yusuke Urameshi knelt, on hands and knees, a broken and beaten shell, a far cry from the guy who started this tournament. All that was Yusuke Urameshi had been ripped from him. Toguro had taken too many treasures that belonged to him, the only people he held on to for dear life because those were the people who made him who we was. Now there was nothing left of that boy. Just a whistle in the wind. This person, in the midst of battle, was a completely different.

His aura began to escape, seeping into the air around them. Not only had Toguro torn this strong young man down, no, he had brought Yusuke to rise again.

Silence fell among the crowds as Yusuke rose to his feet in a sense of lifelessness. A swirl of blue energy engulfing him as it blazed around him. Toguro had just opened himself up a Pandora's box as Yusuke rose like a phoenix from the flames. Burning and blazing, emanating within the crowd, his spirit and his life energy all mixed into one, pulsating around the stadium. Toguro had indeed hit the mother-load, but was he truly ready for what he had awakened in this young man? Or was this about to be the beginning of the end for Toguro?


End file.
